Keep politics out, teachers' body says after CJP team's school visit in Rajasthan

Police in Maharashtra's Latur district have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Abhijeet Dipke and others for allegedly entering a government school without permission, disrupting official work and threatening teachers. The FIR was filed at Ausa police station following a complaint from Sayyed Shamshadbano Khairatali, a 53-year-old teacher at a Zilla Parishad Urdu school. The incident reportedly occurred at the ZP Urdu school in Jawali, near Ausa, approximately 500 kilometers from Mumbai. According to the complaint, Dipke and his associates entered the school without authorization, sat among students and posed various questions, thereby interfering with educational activities and administrative functions. The complainant alleged that Dipke filmed the entire process and uploaded the footage on social media. Additionally, the complaint stated that Dipke accused the school of bringing students from another institution into the classroom during his visit and threatened to suspend the teaching staff. The case was registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections related to assault, trespassing, criminal intimidation, and defamation. Further investigation is currently underway. Dipke has been actively visiting government schools across Latur district as part of the CJP's ongoing "School Thik Karo" (Improve Government Schools) campaign. This initiative aims to highlight systemic issues within state-run educational institutions and push for improvements. His visits have often drawn attention due to the confrontational nature of his interactions with school authorities and staff. The recent FIR marks yet another instance of tension between the CJP and local educators. Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, a similar conflict has unfolded in Bagru village, where villagers temporarily relocated a government primary school to a private residence after a clash with CJP activists. The school, located in a deteriorating structure, had been serving 18 students in a cattle enclosure since a structural safety assessment deemed the building unfit for occupancy. The CJP, led by co-convener Ashutosh Ranka, had attempted to inspect the school as part of its campaign. However, the visit triggered resistance from local residents, leading to a confrontation that forced the activists to withdraw. Following the incident, villagers, with the assistance of local authorities, moved the school to a vacant house owned by Ravishankar Sharma. The house, originally used as a grocery store, was modified to accommodate the students, with a blackboard installed outside due to faulty electrical systems. Sharma expressed willingness to provide the space indefinitely until the school is rebuilt. He emphasized that the community wanted to ensure the safety of its children without involving political entities. Local villagers, including Rajesh Sharma, a former ward member, voiced concerns about the politicization of the issue. They argued that the CJP's involvement had created unnecessary tensions and that the community was capable of managing its own educational needs. Another villager, Ram Kishore, warned that political interference could escalate conflicts, though he denied that any physical attacks had occurred. Instead, he attributed the disruption to the activists' insistence on accessing the school premises. In response to the situation, BJP MLA Kailash Verma visited the village and confirmed that ₹18 lakh had been allocated for constructing new classrooms in the school. He criticized the opposition parties for spreading misleading narratives and stressed that outsiders should not incite unrest in the village. Meanwhile, both the CJP and local residents have submitted separate complaints to the police, accusing each other of causing disturbances and assaults. As the investigations continue, the incidents underscore the growing friction between activist groups and local communities over educational reforms. In Jaipur, the temporary relocation of the school has provided immediate relief to students, but the underlying issues, dilapidated infrastructure and political involvement, remain unresolved. CJP leaders, including Ranka, have continued to advocate for improved facilities, describing the developments as a demonstration of the impact of their efforts. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan School Education Minister has issued a warning against using schools as platforms for political activity, emphasizing the need to prioritize education over ideological agendas.